Much as I believe that Texas State Representative Nicole Collier’s story warrants front-page news treatment in every major American newspaper and wall-to-wall coverage across cable news and other news media, I’m already growing weary of some of the lessons being taken away by select national Democrats and of her growing number of supporters.
Collier is one of the more than 50 other Texas Democratic legislators who fled the state earlier this month to break quorum and thwart Republican efforts, at the behest of President Donald Trump, to draw new congressional maps that would create five additional GOP seats ahead of the midterm elections next year.
This effort, as I noted earlier this month on NewsOne, is racist as hell and not at all shy about its designs to dilute the power of Black and Latino voters to maintain power for an unpopular president who increasingly talks as if he plans to die in office rather than at the end of his second term.
RELATED CONTENT: Texas Republicans Are Basically Holding Black Lawmaker Nicole Collier Hostage Amid Redistricting Standoff
Those Republicans have since launched a new special session to move forward with their plans, and returning Democrats like Collier were informed by House Speaker Dustin Burrows on Monday that they would not be allowed to leave the chambers without signing a document promising to be present when the House reconvenes on Wednesday.
Well, not only pledge to be present, but to agree to 24-hour police surveillance to guarantee compliance.
“Members who have not been present until today for whom arrest warrants were issued will be granted written permission to leave only after agreeing to be released into the custody of a designated DPS officer appointment,” Burrows explained.
Although many of these Texas Democrats called the policy an “unnecessary use of state funds,” only a handful of them actually refused to sign the ridiculous order – most notably Collier, who, after being detained against her will, has remained inside the chambers, drawing national attention for her efforts.
When asked by Fox’s Austin affiliate why she didn’t sign her rights away to the state, she explained: “I refused to sign. I will not agree to be in DPS custody. I am not a criminal. I am exercising my right to resist and oppose the decisions of our government. So, this is my form of protest.”
In another interview with MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow, Collier spoke just as plainly about Trump’s involvement and true aim with the Texas redistricting plan, saying, “I’ve had enough.”
“I’m not going to be part of a process that gives him more reinforcement to harm my community and my people. I will not allow you to put my people down without a fight,” Collier added.
Understandably, this has caused Collier to gain notoriety, and in the immediate hours after her false imprisonment at the state capitol, praise from the best-known Democrats like former Vice President Kamala Harris, who called Collier and told her, “You are those who history will reveal to have been heroes of this moment.”
Additionally, Harris wrote to Collier on X: “Nicole, we are all in that chamber with you. Thank you to you and all the Texas Democrats who are standing up for the people.”
Separately, Senator Cory Booker posted: “Texas House Democrats, especially Rep. Nicole Collier, are showing us the power we all have to stand up for the rights of every single American.”
And the Sunrise Movement argued: “This is what leadership against fascism looks like. Hope Chuck Schumer is taking notes.”
Now, Collier has already publicly embraced remarks by Harris, but I must say, as nice a sentiment as it sounds to say “we are all in that chamber with you,” we are not in fact all with her.
Fortunately, some of Collier’s legislative colleagues – mainly women, notably – have since pledged to rip up their previously signed permission slips and stand by Collier in the chambers.
And there have been everyday Texans showing up outside the chambers to cheer Collier and others on for what they are doing.
